By Dara Clariza Evangelista
Milan didn’t just show fashion, it taught it. This season was a classroom of craft, storytelling, and quiet rebellion. Here’s what each major house reminded us of.
1. Gucci – Storytelling Is the New Luxury
Photos: Courtesy of Gucci
Demna’s cinematic debut proved that fashion isn’t just about what you wear, but how you tell its story. Through film, celebrity, and spectacle, Gucci reminded us that emotion is the most valuable accessory.
2. Versace – Confidence Never Goes Out of Style
Photos: Courtesy of Versace
Dario Vitale brought back the unapologetic sensuality that defined Versace’s golden years. The lesson? When you own your power, you don’t need to chase trends, you set them.
3. Prada – Intelligence Is the New Seduction
Photos: Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com
Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons redefined allure through intellect and ease. Their uniform-inspired pieces whispered that restraint can be more provocative than exposure.
4. Fendi – Heritage Can Still Feel New
Photos: Umberto Fratini / Gorunway.com
Silvia Venturini Fendi celebrated 100 years of legacy by injecting play and color into tradition. The takeaway? Reinvention doesn’t mean forgetting your roots, it means letting them evolve.
5. Giorgio Armani – Elegance Is Eternal
Photos: Instagram/@giorgioarmani
In his final show, Armani reminded us that grace outlives fashion. Through silence, simplicity, and movement, he showed that true luxury is not loud, it’s lasting.
6. Moschino – Humor Has a Place in Haute Couture
Photo: Filippo Fior / Gorunway.com
Adrian Appiolaza turned everyday materials into art, proving that wit and sustainability can coexist. Fashion doesn’t have to take itself too seriously to make a serious impact.
7. Max Mara – Practical Can Still Be Poetic
Photos: Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com
Ian Griffiths added Rococo flair to classic tailoring, turning structure into softness. He reminded us that functionality and fantasy don’t have to live apart, they can dance together.
8. Diesel – Fashion Belongs to Everyone
Photos: F.Fior – S.Dragone – A.Adriani – D.Schiavello / Gorunway.com
Glenn Martens’ interactive “egg hunt” blurred the line between audience and runway. Diesel’s lesson? Fashion is no longer exclusive, it’s experiential, democratic, and alive in the streets.
Milan Fashion Week SS26 wasn’t about reinvention for reinvention’s sake. It was about meaning, a reminder that every thread, cut, and silhouette can carry a philosophy.
———————————————————–
Jasmine Curtis-Smith is on the cover of STYLISH Magazine right now, as she shares her thoughts on good storytelling in films, as she’s set to star in upcoming movies Open Night, a 2025 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival sapphic film entry; and Manila’s Finest, an upcoming 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) crime drama movie.
Read the Stylish Magazine September-October 2025 cover story here.
Watch out for a new #StylishPodcast episode featuring our cover girl Jasmine Curtis-Smith, dropping soon on Facebook and YouTube.
Stylish Magazine is “your source of self-love, style & inspiration” first introduced in June 2020. Our television series format, Stylish TV, once ranked one of the Top 50 Most Watched Multicultural Shows in the USA, can be streamed on iWantTFC and be watched on TFC (The Filipino Channel) in more than 50 countries. Watch it online here.
Style Visionary Network is a lifestyle-business online platform where #WeCreateVisionaries. Also introduced in June 2020, Style Visionary Network is also the digital home channel of media brands Stylish Magazine and Stylish TV.